1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus to supply insert sheets for finishing process of sheets with images formed thereon by a copying machine or a printer and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a highly functional image forming apparatus, a finisher is generally provided adjoining to a discharge unit of the main body of the apparatus and paper with an image formed thereon is sorted and accumulated on an accumulation tray of the finisher after such a finishing process as a stapling process or a two-folding process at the center. In recent years, for the finishing process by such a finisher, an image forming apparatus further provided with an inserter near a finisher to supply an insert sheet is used to put an insert sheet that is differing from the paper having the image formed on the paper.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2001-26367, an inserter supplies insert sheets taken out from an inserter tray directly in the finish processing direction regardless of a type of the finishing process of paper. That is, irrespective of a saddle stitching process or other process, insert sheets are supplied to the finisher while keeping the surfaces that are set on the inserter.
Therefore, when setting insert sheets on the inserter tray, operator had to set insert sheets in the face-up state when the sorting/stapling process is made. On the other hand, insert sheets must be set in the face-down state when the saddle stitch process is made. So, operator had to select the front/back side of insert sheets that are to be set on the inset tray according to the mode of finishing process. Thus, it gave confusion to operator and a time was needed to check the setting direction of insert sheets.
Accordingly, regardless of a difference in the mode of finishing process, it has been desired to make it possible to set insert sheets on the inserter tray with the same surfaces upward so that the operator""s confusion when setting insert sheets and reliability as well as operability are improved.
It is an object of the present invention to provide high reliability and operability in the finishing process without causing confusion regarding the setting surfaces of insert sheets by operator when setting insert sheets on an inserter try.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a sheet processing apparatus is provided, which comprises: a sheet supporting device to support insert sheets; a supply device to supply the insert sheets in the direction of a recording medium conveying path from the sheet supporting device; a sheet conveying device that is extending from the supply device to the recording medium conveying path to convey the insert sheets; a sheet reversing/conveying device that is provided between the supply device and the recording medium conveying path to reverse the front and back sides of the insert sheets; and a gate to sort the insert sheets supplied from the supply device to either the sheet conveying device or the sheet reversing/conveying device.
Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a sheet processing apparatus is provided, which comprises: an inserter tray to support insert sheets; supply rollers to supply insert sheets from the inserter tray in the direction of a recording medium conveying path; a sheet conveying device extending from the supply rollers to the recording medium conveying path to convey insert sheets; a sheet reversing/conveying device provided between the supply rollers and the recording medium conveying path to reverse the front and back sides of insert sheets; and a gate to sort the insert sheets supplied from the supply rollers to either the sheet conveying device or the sheet reversing/conveying device.
Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an image forming apparatus is provided, which comprises: an image forming unit to form a fixed toner image on a recording medium; a finisher to finish process the recording medium with the fixed toner image formed thereon by the image forming unit; a recording medium conveying path extending from the image forming unit to the finisher; an inserter tray to support insert sheets; a supply roller to supply the insert sheets from the inserter tray to the direction of the recording medium conveying path; a sheet conveying device extending from the supply roller to the recording medium conveying path to convey the insert sheets; a sheet reversing/conveying device provided between the supply roller to the recording medium conveying path to reverse the front and back sides of the insert sheets; and a gate to sort the insert sheets supplied from the supply roller to either the sheet conveying device or the sheet reversing/conveying device.